Single Blade Line: Proraso has recently added a “Single Blade” line with three new scent lines of more expensive and allegedly higher performing and nicer smelling product types. I have not tried any of these yet and so cannot comment on their relative performance vis a vis the standard “colors” reviewed in this piece. Maybe in a future piece! To some, I imagine “brushless” might best describe a cream that is not really usable with a brush. If all creams can be used without a brush, is there any need to define a cream as “brushless” if it benefits from a brush?

I admit that my own skin seems to get little benefit from aloe when applied as a post shave or shave lubricant, so those of you that are sure that aloe will help your face may get better results. And the touted Vitamin E is present in virtually omnipresent in most shaving soaps and many creams in the modern age, so I doubt many will get any sort of special benefit from its presence in Proraso Blue.But if you are a cream fan, or perhaps simply wish to forego the expense and added time to use a brush, Proraso’s line is an affordable and generally admirable roster offering some diversity in both performance and scents. Proraso's commitment to excellence extends beyond our shaving essentials. Our range of skincare products includes soothing aftershaves, invigorating tonics, and nourishing moisturizers, all tailored to meet the unique needs of a gentleman's skin. Infused with natural ingredients and aromatic fragrances, our skincare collection ensures that your skin remains refreshed, rejuvenated, and impeccably groomed. Scent: A very mild citrus / powder is found here, with a slightly sweet note that perhaps suggests the apple notes that the Proraso marketing folks are speaking about. Despite the marketing verbiage, there is not a very prominent lime note present – a lot more moderate and less sharp citrus seems to be at work, maybe a mild bergamot scent. Some feel this is a medicinal composition, but I find it crisp, subtle and refreshing – a great Spring or Summer scent. This is the least powerful scent in the Proraso line, but is certainly pleasant enough and is also reasonably distinctive.

Summary: One of my two favorites in the Proraso line, Red is a great bargain and a fine performing cream that can stand with Cremo as a cream that performs well and smells even better than how it shaves. If you loathe sandalwood, this is not for you, but otherwise Proraso Red is a must-try for all and will be a keeper for many. A top score eludes Red only because many artisanal soaps give me somewhat better cushion and significantly better post shave for not much more money. Plus smelling relatively unadulterated sandalwood each and every morning or even every week can get kind of tedious. Marketed For: Proraso says: For sensitive and easily irritated skin, with extracts of green tea and oatmeal. It helps prevent redness and leaves the skin soft. With a delicate fruity fragrance of lime and apple. Accurate enough here I think. Ingredients: Aqua (Water/Eau), Stearic Acid, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Parfum (Fragrance), Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Avena sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Camellia sinensis Leaf Extract, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Metasilicate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Limonene, Linalool. The secret – that is not a secret- is to start loading (and preferably a lot) with a well shaken, almost dry brush. Then adding water gradually. As every soap. Rooted in tradition, our formulations are infused with the essence of Italian craftsmanship. Each product is carefully blended to provide the ultimate balance of functionality and indulgence. Our renowned shaving creams and soaps produce a rich, creamy lather that softens your beard, prepares your skin, and guarantees a smooth and comfortable shave every time.Performance: Despite the added aloe and vitamin E, Proraso Blue performs much the same as Green does on my skin. Easy to make lather, excellent glide, poor cushion, and (unexpectedly) a very limited post shave benefit. Piero invented Proraso Crema Miracolosa, a eucalyptus-based cream that could be used before a shave to soften the beard and after a shave to soothe irritation, in 1950. It’s known today as Proraso Pre/Post-Shave Cream. Ingredients: Aqua (Water/Eau), Stearic Acid, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea) Butter, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum (Fragrance), Santalum album (Sandalwood) Oil, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Metasilicate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Coumarin. Scent: Imagine your grandpa is a member of an old school jazz quartet that plays at local weddings. Now imagine you ask your grandpa and his band to play a Swedish death metal tune. This is kind of like what’s happening with Proraso Blue.

With a formula rich in green tea extract and oatmeal, Proraso's Sensitive Skin range is great for enjoying an irritation-free shave. Proraso Toccasana Vintage Shaving Selection includes Pre-Shave Cream. We have a rather synthetic sweet anise and amber accord here, smelling like a sort of licorice cologne. The scent is very artificial, and even those who love, say, Cool Water will find this of little interest. The fragrance design is cloying, simple, and dull. The scent is certainly different from Green, and is arguably more modern, but it certainly is not very pleasant. Strength does not fade during the shave but does not linger much after the shave is done, which is just as well. This is not at all spicy, but rather sweet and only mildly musky. Green then is useful for those men with pretty tough faces who don’t need a lot of cushion or post shave assistance, who prefer creams over soaps, and like a very low price point yet with some moderately distinctive scent. Note though, if you don’t like the feel of menthol on the face during shaves, Proraso Green will not be acceptable to you. Men with dry or sensitive skin will also need a better product.About the remaining article, well, probably is biased due the different price costs in US and here in EU/IT. I started shaving with Proraso green. I was fresh out high school and it was 2011. So there was no Stirling, or B&M, or… Well were any artisans around then? Crazy to think about. Proraso though, as they buy ingredients in massive quantities can get real sandalwood and make it available to consumers at a dirt cheap price (similar to AoS, whose Sandalwood also has a similar verisimilitude and pretty close scent to Proraso Red, albeit at a much higher price). I don’t think this is Indian sandalwood (Mysore cultivar) but is probably the somewhat cheaper and less endangered Australian or Caledonian kind, which nevertheless are excellent and distinctive scents.